Budget Analyst, Budget and Planning at Aga Khan University Hospital

Job Purpose:

• The Budget Analyst will be a key member of the Budget and Planning department within the Finance Division and will play a key role in developing costing and intelligence reporting for the organization to optimize its resources and ensure that healthcare facilities and programs operate efficiently and effectively.
• The incumbent will be responsible for analysing the costs of hospital services and procedures, including outpatient services such as radiology and laboratory tests among others. This role requires strong analytical abilities, experience with Business Intelligence (BI) tools, and the ability to develop dashboards and interactive sheets for planning and forecasting. 

Responsibilities:

Business Intelligence & Data Analysis: Analyze financial data to identify trends, variances, and areas for cost savings

• Utilize Business Intelligence tools, particularly Microsoft Power BI, to collect, analyze, and visualize data.
• Design, develop, and maintain interactive dashboards and reports to monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), financial metrics, and operational efficiency.
• Integrate data from various hospital information systems to provide comprehensive insights into hospital operations trend analysis, forecasting, and scenario planning.
• Conduct feasibility studies, project appraisal and business plans to support strategic planning efforts

Costing Analysis: Conduct costing and evaluation of various services in the institution.

• Analyze the costs associated with hospital procedures, including inpatient, outpatient, radiology, and laboratory services.
• Develop cost models that accurately reflect the resources consumed in delivering healthcare services.
• Collaborate with clinical departments to understand service delivery processes and associated costs.
• Provide detailed cost reports and recommendations to support decision-making and improve financial performance.

Planning & Forecasting: Working with department heads to forecast financial needs and allocate resources accordingly.

• Work closely with the finance and strategic planning teams to develop financial forecasts and budget projections.
• Assist in the preparation of annual budgets by providing data-driven insights and recommendations.
• Support the hospital’s long-term strategic planning by identifying trends and opportunities for cost savings and revenue enhancement.
• Collaborate with department heads to align financial planning with clinical objectives and patient care goals.

Stakeholder Collaboration: Collaborate with other financial professionals, healthcare managers, and executives to develop and refine business and financial strategies

• Liaise with various departments, including clinical, administrative, and IT teams, to ensure accurate and timely data collection and analysis.
• Present findings and recommendations to hospital leadership and other stakeholders in a clear and actionable manner.
• Train and support staff in using BI tools and dashboards to enhance data-driven decision-making across the organization.
• Provide guidance and support to healthcare staff on budget-related matters.
• Prepare overall AKUHN pricing strategy and implementation by working closely with departmental managers to map out overall pricing strategy; prepare weighted costs schedule for all departments and Costing of services & preparation of packages
• Participate in all team efforts as departmental needs arise.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business Information Technology, Business Administration, Healthcare Management, Data Analytics, or a related field.
• A master’s degree or relevant certification (e.g., CPA, CFA, CBAP) is preferred.
• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in a business analyst role, preferably within a healthcare or hospital setting.
• Proven experience in costing, financial analysis, and budgeting.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Power BI, including the ability to develop and manage complex dashboards and reports.
• Ability to interact with and interpret large amounts of data from various sources and make complex data simple and clear for decision making.
• Strong Excel skills, including experience with pivot tables, VLOOKUP, Index match, Offset, XLOOKUP and financial modelling techniques.
• Familiarity with other BI tools (e.g.Tableau, Qlik) is a plus.
• Experience with hospital information systems (e.g., EPIC, Cerner, Care2000, Meditech) and financial software (e.g., SAP, Oracle, PeopleSoft) is advantageous

Personal Characteristics & Behaviour

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate data into actionable insights.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to present complex information clearly to non-technical stakeholders.
• Attention to detail and accuracy in data analysis and reporting.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Commitment to continuous learning and professional development